Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Asaf is promoting his new album with some more showcases in Paris, after playing L'Album de la Semaine for Canal+ last week , Taratata tv show for France 2 and a showcase for Le Mouv' radio (click on link for podcast) yesterday night at the Maison de la Radio in Paris.

Very cool 8-9 songs set with Asaf alone on acoustic guitar performing songs from the new album, many girls in the audience, lots of people were already queuing 30 min before 6:00pm.
He was in a chatty mood between songs and even joked about the fact that he sounded like a girl.
After his performance , he signed cds for fans
40 min show + 20 min signing

Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Lots of people tonight at the tiny New Morning Club, in fact it was SOLD-OUT a few weeks ago. I gues most people are here to see STAX legend Steve Cropper.
First we have a band playing some original material, not bad.

After a short break we have The Animals... well, hard to call them the Animals as there is only the drummer (John Steel) from the original band and a keyboard player (Mickey Gallagher) who played one year with them.
In fact it's more an honest cover band playing blues (John Lee Hooker's "Dimples" & "Boom Boom") and Animals songs (see setlist for details).
Then the 'plat de resistance' with legendary STAX guitar player, co-writer of many STAX hits with Otis Redding, Eddie Floyd and Booker T & The MGs, Blues Brothers man STEVE CROPPER.
Unfortunately he probably drank too much Whiskey before getting on stage, each song is introduced with a very loooong anecdote which is getting on people's nerves who'd rather see him playing than talking, he's also singing his songs ( see setlist for details) and he's not a great singer so...

I guess I was expecting a bit more than a cover band and some on and on talking...
Very average gig !

Monday, January 21, 2013

Lots of people tonight in this very tiny club nearby Bastille, of course they were more than an hour late and it started past 8:00pm.
The interview is well prepared with an English journalist asking questions and the translator of the "Unknown Pleasures" book Suzy Borello doing the french parts.

From the very beginning when Peter Hook attended the Sex Pistols gig, that started it all, in Manchester to his latest band "covering" everysong that Joy Division recorded,which has never been done before, Peter is nice and chatty.

Funny to learn that Joy Division did cover The Doors in their youth (no recording exists).

After this conversation where no video recording was allowed ( wait for our short video anyway) by the management Peter signed both his new books, that's when we decided to leave the premises as we had a conference to attend in St Germain des Pres on North Korea.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Another new sensation for 2013, after Jake Bugg this is Palma Violets. We were less than impressed by Jake Bugg, who's overrated. Palma Violets don't have rave reviews everywhere like Jake but these English guys know how to Rock, they have some short psyche-garage rock songs and are giving it all on stage specially the drummer and bass player.

Can't say that they have some great catchy songs but they are rocking like mad and are having a good time on stage and that's what we like.

Can't wait to see them perform in front of a "real audience" with everyone jumping up and down, slamming and stage diving.

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Israeli singer-songwriter Asaf Avidan is promoting his new solo record "Different Pulses" by playing famous canal+ TV show after a long day giving interviews for the press.
The guy is smartly dressed and is a great poser, he's playing with 3 girls (keys, cello , Backing Vocals-Percussion) and a male on drums.
As the computer couldn't start properly for the first song , we had his hit " reckoning song" on acoustic guitar as the first song then he played the planned setlist.
Most of the songs are mid-tempo but all are very atmospheric and more mainstream than when he's playing with the Mojos.
He introduced "Jetplane" (from the Mojos) with a long speech about his influences ( Journalists are always asking him about his influences) that are from the late 30's starting with Robert Johnson to the 50's with Elvis, the 60's with the beatles, the 70's with Led Zep, thanks to his parents and the 90's with Soundgarden & Pearl Jam thanks to his brother but NOT the 80's. Originally the song is very rock but we had an 80's sounding version with Keyboards.
At first his high pinched voice can seem strange or annoying but you get used to it very easily as he has good songs (or maybe was I seduced by the sexy girl on the Backing Vocals).
Nice stuff.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Irish Folk-Chamber pop band will be performing @ Canal+ tv show to promote new album "Awayland".
Can't say that this kind of music is our favorite , not really folk but more as they called it "Chamber pop" , not sure of what it means, sometimes it sounds a bit like jeff buckley specially with the singer's high voice on some songs .
We had quite a long set for this tv show as the band played 11 songs (usually it's 7) for a good 40 min+ set.
Good set but not our drug of choice.
setlist shortly